1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to coverings for exterior surfaces, especially horizontal surfaces such as floors, decks, and docks. In particular, this invention relates to self securing carpeting usable on building elements and the method of installation.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Decks or platforms formed of boards are well known in the building industry. Decks are commonly used as extensions from buildings, either elevated or at ground surface, like a patio. Docks or piers also commonly have a top surface formed as a deck. As most decks are used outdoors, decks are commonly built as a platform of spaced boards that provide some degree of weather resistance. The spacing between boards promotes drainage of the platform and allows debris to fall between the boards. Decks are very popular in all regions of the world, especially in residential areas.
One of the main attractions of a deck is that is can be formed by relatively simple construction of boards or planks. This construction provides an effective supporting surface at a reasonable cost. Most decks are built of wooden boards, as wood is a relatively inexpensive and easily handled building material. However, exposed wood is liable to deterioration due to the wetting and drying process and year round exposure to the elements and temperature extremes. Thus, the surface can become unsatisfactory in that it can leave dangerous splinters and become slippery when wet.
When the surface of deck boards deteriorates, one solution is to replace them, which is expensive and time consuming. Also, the new boards will be subject to the same deterioration potential as the old boards. Some people choose synthetic deck boards, such as Trex®, to avoid the problems with deteriorating wood. However, synthetic boards are much more expensive, require more sophisticated installation techniques, and can be slippery. Another alternative to dealing with deteriorated deck surfaces is to cover the surface, which is significantly lower in cost than full replacement.
Some users, therefore, cover the deck surface with a carpeting material or the like, which provides a comfortable walking surface, avoids the possibility of splinters, and can inhibit the deterioration of the wood due to weathering. It is of course possible to simply lay a broad band of carpeting over the deck surface covering the boards and the gaps between the boards. This is generally unsatisfactory in that it then inhibits drainage of water from the surface and reduces the ability of the carpet to dry. Such a wide swath of carpet over individual boards also creates an unpleasing aesthetic effect as grooves or lines appear across the carpet. To cover each board individually would require the installer to measure and cut each strip individually and then secure the strip to the board. This obviously requires intensive labor to measure and cut each strip accurately and then to securely attach the cut strips to each board.
The present inventor previously proposed a floor covering material for deck planks in International Application W090/10112 published Sep. 7, 1990. This document discloses a layer of a fibrous floor covering material attached to the upper surface of the deck plank, which covers only the upper surface of the deck plank. The attachment is effected by staples applied in rows adjacent side edges of the covering material. The staples are attached to the under surface of the fibrous material by adhesive bonding strips through which the legs of the staples project for engagement into the upper surface of the wood of the deck plank.
Problems associated with such attachment methods include the necessity of attaching the material to the deck plank at positions adjacent the edges of the plank to ensure effective attachment in view of the instability of the material. Edge attachment tends to form bubbles underneath the material in response to differential expansion, improper application or any kinking of the covering layer. Such bubbles tend to flap or roll when stepped upon, which is simply unacceptable to the user. In addition, the complex construction of such a covering and the large amount of materials are very expensive.
Interior carpet tiles are widely provided as a cheap and efficient replacement for broadloom carpet. Such carpet tiles are often attached directly to the floor by adhesive. There is little difficulty in attaching carpet tiles to the floor since the floor is almost always flat and smooth with no distortion or bowing. In addition, carpet tiles are laid as a continuous surface and, as such, carpet tiles do not generally have exposed edges that can be pulled away from the underlying surface since each edge abuts the edge of the adjacent tile. So, both edges are protected and held down by the continuous surface presented upwardly to the user. An example of adhesive carpet tiles are shown in published PCT application WO98/56977 of Interface Inc. published Dec. 17, 1998, which discloses a carpet tile or piece of carpet having an adhesive on the rear surface covered by a release coat, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,859 to Stephens et al.
Although it is known to secure carpet with adhesive in an interior setting, attaching carpet with adhesive to a deck poses additional problems in spreading the adhesive on the boards and then attempting to adhere the carpet to the adhesive quickly before it sets and in a smooth and wrinkle free manner. Even known self-adhesive carpet tiles would be unsuitable to cover decking as such tiles are not appropriately sized to cover deck boards and would require cutting and forming multiple joints along the length of a board, which would be subject to deterioration in outside use. Further, to the best of the inventor's knowledge such use of carpet tiles in an exterior application has not been done. This may be because known carpet tiles have a backing layer, typically foam, to provide insulation and cushioning, which are desired properties in interior carpets. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,829 to Curtin. Such foam backing would not be suitable for exterior applications as it would deteriorate under exposure to weather elements, particularly by repeated soakings, and would have a tendency to hold water and not drain well.
Other attempts to form exterior coverings for boards have been made by generating pre-manufactured elements that can be simply applied to the deck boards with the elements having a width substantially equal to the boards to cover the upper surfaces of the boards while leaving the spaces between the boards open for the escape of water. However, these elements are rigid members that form a rigid barrier surface over the decking. Such a rigid member does not conform to boards that are warped or otherwise irregularly shaped.
One arrangement for covering deck planks is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,387 of Turnbull issued in 1990. Turnbull discloses a patio deck sheath formed as a channel shaped member with a horizontal surface and two vertical depending sides that is placed over the deck member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,952 issued Dec. 19, 1995, the present inventor disclosed a further proposal for attachment of covering materials to the upper surface of a deck plank. This arrangement discloses the attachment of staples to the center of a stiff covering together with the concept of providing a tendency of the covering to bow across its width thus tending to hold the edges of the covering downwardly onto the edges of the plank. This avoids bubbling and allows effective attachment even where the plank is distorted.
There is a need for a product that will remain attached to the upper surface of a deck and will accommodate change in expansion characteristics and warping of deck elements. It would be desirable to provide a product that satisfactorily covers a deck to refurbish the exposed surface while maintaining a reliable connection in an exterior environment at a reasonable cost. However, no suitable arrangement has been provided in the prior art for secure and accurate attachment of carpet covering material to deck planks in an efficient and low cost manner.